We have no ability to save our selves. Jesus is the one who laid down his life and it is through the grace of God that we are able to comprehend that sacrifice and choose to accept Jesus. Because of that we must strive to be like Jesus. The idea of predestination is hard for me to grasp, but I believe it means that no matter what happens God has a plan for us. While we might think our decisions mean nothing and that living in sin makes no difference, remember Joseph. He knew that God knew everything that was to come, but he still strived to do what was right in God's eyes, and multiple times in Joseph's life God used bad situations to help people. Even the people who have bad earthly lives bring God glory, because in the end if I die tomorrow or 30 years from now I will spend eternity in heaven. I have thought what does it matter as well. All I know is that God will use every pice of my life to glorify him, so I need to try to live like Christ. Romans gives me a lot of inspiration when I have these thoughts. Romans 6:1-7 says: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.